


Nothing Stopped Us

by icantwatchyousuffer



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:12:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4448792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icantwatchyousuffer/pseuds/icantwatchyousuffer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert tries to find Aaron a couple of weeks after Chrissie's reveal at the pub. But what does he have to say? And how will Aaron react?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing Stopped Us

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this, though it's a bit all over the place! I am awful at fanfiction because I always get so caught up in my OTP feels that I go a bit overboard haha! Anyway, thanks for clicking and I really hope you like it!

Aaron sat at a table at the back of the pub, nursing his pint and trying to ignore the gossiping and stares that still followed him around Emmerdale over 2 weeks after Chrissie's outburst at the Woolpack.   
"I know nobody else thinks this, and he's denied it enough times, but do you not think Robert really loved him?" he heard from a not-hushed-enough conversation between Kerry and Dan a couple of tables away.

Aaron scoffed. As if you could hurt someone the way Robert had hurt him and still be in love. Lying to him about Katie when he'd known it was tearing him apart? That was fucking painful. But threatening Paddy's life? That was inexcusable.   
Paddy had been there for Aaron when nobody else was. He wasn't just a friend... He was, and is, his dad. Robert hadn't cared enough about Aaron when he was burying Paddy in a pit of grain, so he clearly doesn't care enough at all.  
Aaron sighed heavily and rested his head on his hands, internally groaning at himself. How could he have been so wrong? How did something that had seemed so incredible turn into something so excruciatingly painful? His love... their love- it had seemed so real, so genuine, so strong it seemed almost tangible. 

"I love you and I can't watch you suffer."  
"You'll make me think I fell for a quitter."  
"If I lost you Aaron I couldn't handle it."  
"I meant it, I love you!"

And yet now he could see that none of that was true- the whole foundation of their relationship (if you could even deem it to have been one) was based on manipulation and lies, so why had Aaron been so stupid as to believe Robert was being any different with him? Aaron had determined that he was just not supposed to have a love story. This was the world trying to tell him that.

He tried to block out the voices around him, promising to himself that he wouldn't let Robert mess with his head like that again. And it almost worked until he heard an all too familiar voice from the bar. Robert bloody Sugden. "Do you know where Aaron is?" he heard Robert ask Chas. Aaron could hear a slight break in Robert's voice and hated himself for the pity and grief he felt for him at that moment. Robert didn't deserve Aaron's sorrow. Robert didn't deserve anything.   
"He won't want to see you Robert, so don't bother," was his mum's crude response.

But it wasn't strictly true, because Aaron couldn't stop himself from looking up. He didn't want to admit it, but it was quite apparent that Aaron had been worrying about Robert. All his family had turned their backs on him; he'd lost his job; he lost his home. He'd lost everything, and Aaron knew what it felt like to have everything ripped away from you. To feel so alone that you'd do anything just to have one person listen and try to make sense of what you're going through. Aaron knew what it felt like. He didn't wish that upon anybody, never mind someone he had loved so deeply. So, despite his brain shouting at him to turn his back and ignore Robert's presence, he still glanced up- just for a second. The overbearing love that filled Aaron as he focused on the man he'd avoided for days left Aaron seething. Why was this happening?! Why, after everything Robert had done, could he not leave his thoughts? And leave his heart. Why was he not filled with a longing to break his neck as opposed to the desperate desire to help him? Nothing made sense. Love makes no sense.

As if Robert could sense him looking, Aaron was met with a face he wished he had it in him to hate. I mean, he did hate him. Or more so... hated the things he did. But even he couldn't deny to himself that love still lingered. Lingered? Still overcame him more like. It's like every single pain he could see reflected in Robert's eyes, he just wanted to bear himself, just so Robert wouldn't have to. Is that the way you're supposed to think about someone who's meant to be nothing to you?   
"Aaron," he heard Robert start, but he couldn't take it. He couldn't bare being told again how little he meant to Robert- he didn't want proof that all along he was just a bit on the side. He needed that little hope inside him somewhere that maybe, in his heart, Robert reserved a little place for Aaron, because God knows that Robert held a hell of a lot of Aaron's. Without that glimmer of hope, Aaron wasn't sure how to keep going.  
"Just leave it, Robert," he warned as he watched Robert warily, trying his hardest to remind himself of everything Robert had done. Of all the times he'd been hurt by him. He avoided eye contact, willing himself into hatred. And it seemed to almost be working as he remembered all the hurt and pain caused by him. All the numerous times he'd told Aaron how little he meant to him; how they had been nothing; how he loved Chrissie. 

Robert swallowed- he had anticipated a lack of willingness from Aaron to talk to him, but had hoped that perhaps he still meant something. And yet, as Aaron dropped his eyes all he could see reflected on his face were months of anger and betrayal. Robert clenched his jaw, desperate to hide any signs of the tears that were beginning to well in his eyes. He could feel the tension in the pub as the atmosphere quietened and people started looking up. His affair with Aaron was the talk of the village. Of course it was- Robert Sugden had been cheating on what the village deemed to be the 'perfect' wife. For all they knew Aaron meant nothing to Robert- he'd said it publicly enough times. However Robert knew it wasn't like that. They'd fallen in love with one another hard- or so he'd thought. But it was clear to him now that Aaron didn't requite his love. Far from it, if he could take anything from the fact that Aaron couldn't even look at him. 

"Aaron, listen to me,"  
"No, you listen to me Rob. I want you out of my face and out of my life, alright? Nobody wants you here. Diane don't; Vic don't; Andy sure as hell don't. So take a hint and do one, yeah?"  
Aaron found it easy to lie in his words. So much easier than trying to convince himself. And it was true, perhaps he did want Robert gone- it'd make it easier to pretend like he didn't care about him.  
Waves of anger and confusion and hurt pride ripped through Robert. Why was he being like this? Did all their time together mean nothing to Aaron? How was it that Robert could barely stand being without Aaron, but here Aaron was swearing he wanted Robert out of his life? Fury filled him as he realised what he'd risked to be with him when Aaron didn't even care. What he felt for Aaron was so genuine, and yet was Robert just a good fuck to Aaron? And he could feel everyone else judging him- they could see he was more affected by Aaron's words than a man who didn't care about him would be. And that couldn't happen. No, his pride had been wounded enough.   
"You're right, Aaron. You're fucking right. Nobody wants me here. Everything that happened between us- none of it was real. All along you were lying to me- all the times you pretended like you cared. Well, fucking hell Aaron, you ain't that special. I can cope without you."

Aaron wasn't even shocked. He'd accepted as soon as Robert had gone grovelling back to his wife that he didn't love him. It didn't stop the tears escaping his eyes, as he thought about how things could've been. It didn't stop him wiping them away furiously, wishing that Robert didn't see his weakness. It didn't stop the hurt flashing over his eyes as he looked up at Robert, desperately searching for any hint of love. 

It didn't stop him from shouting,"Go on then Robert. Leave- what's stopping you?"

It didn't stop Robert from seeing the pain in Aaron as he looked up at him. It didn't stop him from filling with hope that he still meant something. It didn't stop him from begging himself to stop crying. 

It didn't stop him from saying, "It's YOU Aaron. You're what's stopping me from going."

The confused mumbles from the villagers didn't stop him from staring Aaron right in the eyes. It didn't stop him thinking about how perfect the man stood in front of him was. It didn't stop him from looking in desperation as he tried to accept that his love was unrequited.

Not even Chrissie walking in stopped him from saying, "I love you so fucking much, Aaron."

The gasps of everyone didn't stop Aaron's eyes immediately meeting Robert's. The cries from Chrissie didn't stop Robert from taking nervous steps towards Aaron. Aaron's better judgement didn't stop him from beaming. Him telling himself he must be dreaming, or falling for Robert's lies again didn't stop him from moving towards him until they were only a metre away. 

Nothing could've stopped the tight embrace that surrounded them, beating hearts on chests that belonged to one another, hands gripping onto the other man, sobs wracking their bodies at how right it felt to be held by the other.

Nothing stopped Aaron from whispering in Robert's golden hair, "I really, really love you, Robert."


End file.
